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Christina Ricci is to star in Lifetime's "Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story." File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

By Karen Butler, UPI

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles alum Christina Ricci and Transparent actress Judith Light have signed on to star in Lifetime's psychological thriller, Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story.

Ricci will play 19th-century journalist Elizabeth Cochran Seaman who published under the name of Nellie Bly.

"The Lifetime feature movie is inspired by her undercover stay at the impenetrable Women's Lunatic Asylum on New York's Blackwell's island," a press release said. "A real-life hero, Nellie Bly's expose was the first of its kind in America and inspired the global reformation of mental health care."

Light's role is that of Matron Grady, the head nurse who tortured her patients. Josh Bowman co-stars as Dr. Josiah.